Frederick Steeplechasers Mile:
New Name and Sponsorship, Same Great Race

BY BRENT AYER

FREDERICK, MD--Three course records were set at the 18th running
of the street mile held in conjunction with Frederick's "In
The Street" Festival. Renamed the Frederick Steeplechasers
Mile, and under the new sponsorship of Potomac Investment Services,
the races drew 274 runners to downtown Frederick to take part
in nine separate one-mile races on October 7.

Justin Ward, a 20-year-old former Frederick High School standout,
won the men's Open mile in a time of 4:32.72. He defeated runner-up
James Eagler by less than three seconds, with former Walkersville
mile state champion Sean Allen finishing third. The women's race
was won by Michelle Ballentine, of Fairfax, VA, who edged past
Frederick's Rene Osikowicz for the win in 5:20.11. Osikowicz,
who has been dominating the local running circuit, was two seconds
back.

Three Market Street course records were broken. Seven-year-old
Annie Powell, of Frederick, ran 7:00.70 to break a record for
6- and 7-year-old girls that had stood since 1986. Ten-year-old
Matty Thompson, of Thurmont, ran 5:31.65 to set a new boys 9-
and 10-year-old record. Vanessa Ryan set a new women's standard
in the Racewalk division.

ERIC DUPONT THUNDERS
DOWN MARKET STREET TO
FINISH FOURTH OVERALL IN THE FREDERICK
STEEPLECHASERS MILE. ERIC, A VISITOR FROM
FRANCE ASSIGNED TO A FREDERICK-BASED COMPANY,
WAS THE TOP STEEPLECHASERS FINISHER IN 4:40.10.
NANCY TWIGG PHOTO